Ah, holidays! Aren’t they great? I mean, you get together with grandparents and cousins (and that one aunt with pungent Nordstrom perfume) and eat spreads of cultural or traditional food while celebrating the special occasion! Whether it’s Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Christmas, Dia de Los Muertos, or Kwanza, all holidays are amazing. 

However, the past year hasn’t been so amazing. With distancing restrictions, mask mandates, and overall safety concerns, for the past year, many families and friends have not been able to get together to celebrate and have fun like normal. Families have been forced to turn to distanced gatherings with masks or laggy Zoom calls. Not so great, huh?

I, for one, see my grandmother from Florida every Thanksgiving and spend a week with her. But in 2020, I maintained only with my immediate family and talked to my grandma on FaceTime. I know I am not alone with this experience, as many of my classmates and friends have shared their stories of being solely with their other household members during special days.

While these may seem like dark times, things will get better! With vaccines that will soon get to everyone, I am hopeful for our futures. The exact time can’t be determined, but eventually, we will all be able to celebrate special days with our families once again. During such a difficult time, hope is vital and we must all remain optimistic for those holidays with families that we all know and love. Let’s wear our masks and get vaccines when we can so that we can celebrate with our loved ones again– even celebrate with that aunt and her perfume!